Ralph Fiennes - Coriolanus Trailer

Ralph Fiennes directs himself, and Gerard Butler, in a modern day re-imagining of Shakespeare's Coriolanus. It's epic Shakespeare that takes in a character study of a powerful leader, revenge, betrayal, war and politics. The script is adapted by John Logan (Gladiator, The Last Samurai), and Fiennes roughs it up with a tough, military feel. 

It is Fiennes' first attempt as director, and he has taken on quite a tricky project - modernising Shakespeare is an exciting, but risky, endeavor. His stories and characters are such timeless crowd pleasers, it is easy to see  why directors are eager to dress them up for a new generation, and liberate them from the classical stuffiness bestowed by high school literature teachers.

When it works, it is invigorating - see Baz Luhrmann's sensational, audacious MTV-styled Romeo + Juliet and Gil Junger turning Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew into a successful teen comedy. Luhrmnn pulls off the tougher trick of successfully importing the bard's classical language to its hip hop gangster setting. Jessica Scheinbach has compiled a cool, comprehensive list of unorthodox Shakespeare adaptations, which you can check out here.

Not quite modernised, but still bold reinventions, are Richard Loncraine's relocating of Richard III to an alternative, fascist 1930's England & Akira Kurosawa's classic reimagining of King Lear as an epic Samurai tragedy in Ran. 

Less successful attempts fall awkwardly flat, though, like Tim Blake Nelson's High School drama "O", translating the Bard's Othello into a tale of high school lust, betrayal and racial conflict between Josh Hartnett, Mekhi Phifer & Julia Stiles and Michael Almereyda's artily ambitious, but uneven Ethan Hawke vehicle, Hamlet. Julia Stiles is clearly a fan and has worked her way into three Shakespeare adaptations - 10 Things I Hate About You, Othello & Hamlet. 

We will have to see if Fiennes pulls it off; if his performance works without an objective director to reign him in, if he can marry his gritty modern setting with the high drama of Shakespeare's dialogue and, most critically, if he can make a proper actor of Gerard Butler.

The Good:

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Review

Out with Alfonso Cuaron, in with Mike Newell, in quite a departure from Four Weddings and a Funeral, Donnie Brasco and Mona Lisa Smile. Personally, I would have stuck with Alfonso Cuaron, but Newell does a good job, other than allowing Danielle Radcliffe to sport a highly rubbish haircut, and pulls off some impressive visuals, particularly the Quidditch World Cup, the dragon-duelling (excellent CGI) & the ominous maze of the triwizard cup final challenge.                 

Goblet of Fire is the last truly stand-alone story, as the triwizard cup takes centre stage, before the final three novels build up to the showdown between Harry and Voldemort. Harry is smartly cast as the underdog, unwillingly thrust underage into the triwizard championship, after saving Hogwarts three years in a row, so its easy to keep rooting for him (although you have to wonder what Harry finds intimidating about a inter-school challenge, even a dangerous one for seniors, after seeking out the Philosopher's Stone, the Chamber of Secrets and a werewolf's lair...).



Be it as it may, Harry gets to test his mettle & resourcefulness, while Mike Newell introduces females of the world to Robert Pattinson as generally nice, not very talkative Cedric Diggory. In between, hormones start to flair as Harry works up the courage to ask a girl to the school dance, while Ron & Hermione repress their feelings for each other, all before the great dark lord in the creepy climax. Ralph Fiennes relishes his role as dark lord Voldemort, with his hushed voice, piercing eyes & otherworldly intensity, and his brief performance puts Goblet on the map.  


Goblet is also notable for marking the point from which a major character will be killed off in each instalment, and because the band that plays at the school dance includes Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker, and Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood.

Brendon Gleeson & Miranda Richardson are colourful additions to the adult cast as Professor Alastor 'Madeye' Moody (the new 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' professor with - would you believe it - ambiguous intent) & tabloid reports Rita Skeeter, respectively.  


Oscar nominations: Art Direction